);

10-second cover-up

ABC Will Use Delay to Edit Broadcast

In effort to prevent the “wardrobe malfunction” thatbroadcast Janet Jackson’s breast during last season’sSuper Bowl halftime show, ABC plans to employ a 10-second delay inthe music show preceding the NFL season opener.

The graceperiod will give producers the opportunity to edit portions of thebroadcast Thursday evening.

More than89 million CBS viewers watched an unscripted portion of a SuperBowl halftime show duet in which Justin Timberlake ripped off aportion of Jackson‘sbrassiere that left her over exposed.

A spokesmanfor the Walt Disney Company told the Washington Post the 5-seconddelay is their standard policy for live performances.

“ABChas a policy where all of its live programming is delayed by fiveseconds,” ABC spokesman Mark Mandel told the Washington Postin a telephone interview. “The NFL is adding another fiveseconds.”

NFLspokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed with a Washington Post reporterthe delay would be 10 seconds.

This is notthe first time TV networks have used a grace period to air eventswhich are usually broadcast live. In February, CBS employed one fortheir broadcast of the Grammy Awards. Later in the same month, ABCbroadcasted the Academy Awards with such a delay, making it firsttime in its 76-year history the show was not broadcast live.

The NFLseason will kick off Thursday in Foxboro,Mass.,with special pre-game performances by Mary J. Blige, Lenny Kravitz,Destiny’s Child and Elton John. They will be performingbefore the New England Patroits, the champion team, as they playagainst the Indianapolis Colts.

The FederalCommunications Commission continues to investigate the Super Bowlhalf time show incident.

CBS stillhas a heavy bill to pay. The company faces an indecency fine worth$550,000, which is based on a $27,500 fine for the 20 stationsowned by their company.

Though bothJackson and Timberlake apologized, CBS revoked Jackson‘sinvitation to last year’s Grammy Awards. She was previouslyscheduled to introduce a tribute to R&B artist, LutherVandross. Timberlake, who also publicly apologized for his conduct,was allowed to perform.